A Cupid's Continuation
by Kagomaru
Summary: Sequel to: A Cupid's Story- Flying to the rescue, or meddling beyond reproach... but what else is a Cupid to do?


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I make any money from this.

I can't believe I wrote the sequel already! This may be a record for me! Thank you sooooo much to everyone who took the time to review- it was definitely due to the overwhelming support that I was able to find my inspiration so quickly!

And a special thank you to Jenke88 for taking just a little extra time to beta this for me! 3 ^_^v

XOXOXOX

**A Cupid's Story continued…**

I never thought that I would continue this story, all its romance and heartbreak was more than I could bear… but here we are. I suppose it's because I never told anyone what I learned about Hatake during my two years of observation, I hadn't really wanted to…

What it comes down to is that he doesn't deserve her. Sakura is a beautiful girl inside and out- one who cares more for others than she ever has for herself. But Hatake isn't like her.

The truth is that Hatake Kakashi is a brave killing machine who would die to save his teammates lives, but would do nothing if he saw them sleeping on a park bench passed out drunk… Seriously, it happened.

Not long after the whole arrow incident I found Sakura going from bar to bar, drinking sake if she was alone and drinking whatever was placed in front of her if she wasn't. It was horrible to watch, especially since it took SO much alcohol to get her intoxicated. I've heard her say on numerous occasions that it was one of the down sides to being one of the best med-nin out there, her body was constantly filtering any hazardous substances from her system, so it took a LOT to even get her tipsy.

On that particular night she had finally given up on falling for Uzumaki. First she had drunk enough to dull her emotions enough for her to go to him and break his heart; and then she drank enough to forget the experience all together- or at least I assume that's why she drank until she could hardly walk. Despite her intoxication she decided to walk home alone when the last bar closed and sent her packing. At about half way between the bar and her home she just lay down on the nearest park bench and passed out.

From my position in the trees above I was able to see that Hatake had followed her after she left the last bar, and at first I was hopeful that he really did love her… but he did nothing. After she passed out he just sat down in the bench across from her and didn't move for hours. He sat there with his legs stretched out before him, his arms stretched across the back of the bench and staring at the stars until there were no more stars to look at. In that mornings dawn light he finally looked at Sakura.

I couldn't tell you what he felt or thought in that moment since Hatake has never kept a journal of any kind, but I imagine that he thought she was silly for letting herself drink so much, that she deserved whatever happened because of it. I mean, what kind of man lets a woman that is supposed to be important to him sleep shivering on a park bench? Shouldn't he have carried her home, or at least covered her with his jacket to keep her warm? He didn't though, he just sat there until she began to stir and then he was gone.

From that moment on I have hated him.

The same scene has repeated every time Sakura took to seriously drinking in the last two years, and if Hatake was out of the village one of his summons would sit there in his place. Seriously, what is wrong with this man that he can't just throw a blanket over her or something? Why bother with watching her at all? I suppose that that could just be his favorite park bench or something, but why would his summons be there then? Did he send them to make sure she didn't fall asleep on the wrong bench so as to not risk her throwing up on it?

This isn't the only reason I hate him though, he's also a major playboy. Without fail, on the nights that Sakura goes drinking he goes as well. If she drinks herself to oblivion he follows her to the bench, but if she stays sober enough to make it home safely he picks up a random bimbo and follows her home instead.

In general I'm not above spying, but after following him the first time… let's just say that it was a bit more than I was expecting and I have never followed him when he's with one of those _women_ since. Seriously, is he a dog that he can do that with just anyone?

The only thing that has given me hope for him being 'the one' for her in the last two years has been their continued training sessions. Even after Sakura made jounin they continued training together three days a week. After every session they would eat bento while sitting together back-to-back. At these times Hatake almost seems like a good guy, like the type of man who would be deserving of her affections. I'll even admit that his face (which Sakura still has yet to see) is quite handsome… but that's it. There are no other times where he is even remotely worthy of her.

Sakura is such a good, talented, loving creature… she deserves better than Hatake Kakashi.

If it were in my power I would find her the perfect man, one who would fly into her life and sweep her off her feet… but it's not. The small ways in which we cupids can affect the human world do not extend that far and I was already more than overstepping my bounds by observing them.

For two years I have watched them, watched as nothing changed between them; watched as Sakura meticulously prepared bento for them, walked to training with a bounce in her step, and left with a heavy heart. And then, three months ago, everything changed. For the first time since I had been watching him (and if his friends' reactions are anything to go by, the first time ever), Hatake Kakashi started dating.

I can't tell you how badly it broke Sakura's heart to see Kakashi happy with another woman, how it broke her to _not_ be able to wish for his happiness with her…

They don't talk much anymore, since then Sakura has withdrawn herself from him. She's been training with him less and less, drinking more and more; and still he watches. From my position above them in the trees I have been witness to Sakura falling drunkenly on that same park bench and crying herself to sleep far too many times. I have seen Kakashi follow her time and again, always waiting until she's asleep to sit down, always waiting until she stirs to leave, and never doing anything more than watching.

It's frustrating, beyond frustrating… So I decided that I couldn't just let things stay the way they were.

Let me tell you something, breaking into the C.A.R. (otherwise known as: Cupid Affection Records) isn't easy. The place is as large as a town in its own right, with security cupids flying all over the place. Just to get past them I had to disguise myself and steal a friend's security pass- and then I had to get to the room with the records I was looking for.

Oh, I don't know if I've mentioned before, the CAR is where records of past missions are kept, where future missions are approved, and where requests are submitted. I don't know much about the whole process- but it's all done there. I was lucky in that the day I went was also a company holiday, so for the most part once I was in I didn't have to worry about avoiding anyone; but it took me hours to find what I was looking for.

Hatake Kakashi had never submitted a request before… so I submitted one for him.

I know that what I have done is wrong, hell I even filed the request under the highest difficulty level so that it would definitely come to me! More, I've done something that goes against the very purpose of a cupid- I've manipulated the human world directly.

I will admit that I am full of myself, cocky, conceited even- but I don't think that I'm wrong.

Sakura's heart jumped from my hands and dodged the one she herself had desired to love due simply to the presence of the one she already did… and now for Hatake I'm about to do the same.

I submitted a request for him to love Kabane Miku, his current girlfriend; and then I arranged for Miku to be with Sakura during the time I was supposed to let my arrow fly… and then I put in for retirement.

I'm about to do something unprecedented to cupid kind, I'm going to aim my arrow at one girl while intending for it to hit the other. You see, it is my hope (despite my dislike of the man) that Hatake really does love Sakura- because no matter how I feel about it, Sakura will love no one else the way she loves Kakashi. And I would do anything for her…

And despite everything, one question remains unanswered. Why would Hatake Kakashi abandon his girlfriend every night Sakura went drinking? Abandon her and not come home until dawn… It gives me pause and a confused sort of hope.

I can see the girls through Sakura's window now, talking about what I do not know- but they are together. Hatake Kakashi's heart is warm in my hand, pulsing in the presence of one it loves. I do not know who it beats for, do not really believe he is worthy at all- but for Sakura I will let all that go.

I want more than anything to tell her what I am about to do, but I have no way to do so. There are so many things I would do for her if I could… but this is the most I can do.

I hope this is the right thing. I hope this is important. I hope this changes_ everything_.

I pull back the string of my bow, an image of them happily together shoots through my mind and a dull pain blossoms in my chest as I let the arrow fly. A moment stretches to an eternity and a tear slips down my cheek. I guess I didn't really know what I was hoping to change before the arrow reached its target, but I know now…

Love is complicated, and beautiful, and messy… and I've only just learned what it feels like to long for something so far out of reach.


End file.
